Google keeps search code secret
Viacom told to go forth and multiply
A FEDERAL Judge has told Viacom that it cannot have access to Google's secret search code as part of the evidence needed for its $1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit against the search outfit.
US District Judge Louis Stanton said it was a trade secret and could not be revealed without Google going down the gurgler.
He said that placing such a vital asset in the paws of the great unwashed merely to allay speculation was unfair.
The judge also refused to let Viacom's have a look under the bonnet of Google's Video Identification Tool, which helps notify Google of copyright infringement.
The judge did allow Viacom to take the records of every video watched by Youtube users, including their login names and IP addresses.
This means that anyone who posted a video on Youtube that Viacom thinks infringed its copyright could be taken to the cleaners.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has called foul, saying that the ruling ignores the protections of the federal Video Privacy Protection Act and threatens to expose deeply private information. µ
L'INQ
News.com
Comments
Comment.
Seems to me that federal judge isn't informed about federal law, nor is he aware that youtube has millions upon millions of foreign users, many of whom are from EU member states and the US agreed to protect their privacy, and rules somewhat.Also: sumner redstone is an ass :/
ignorance no longer bliss
is it not a fair assumption that most ppl dont expect to confront every youtube session with an investigation into the copyright status of videos on youtube? I would say its a very high probably most ppl dont even expect pirated materials on Youtube, thus I do not understand why the judge would allow login details and IP's to be harvested by the complainant. That story about using that to determine the percentage of ppl 'drawn' to watching pirated material is hogwash, as there is no way you can determine that without interviewing each and everyone in person, possibly connected to a lie-detector.I wouldnt be surprised if the complainant, knowing its case to nail Google will be dragged out, will start charging youtube users with piracy claims, and thus open up another avenue for income. what bollocks.